Common

Hiyori felt cornered like a wounded animal, watching as the predator stalked closer, the promise of demise written clearly upon its face. Only that she had never been prey, and he was no more feline than she was. Still, the mother’s heart continued to hammer heavily in her chest with fear for the daughter now pressed firmly against her flank. The splashed mare pivoting to keep the stallion in front of her, the filly pushed in circles, until the stallion halted and Hiyori did the same.


There had to be another way. There had to be someone seeing everything that was happening. Why weren’t they coming to help her? To help her baby?!


But no one was going to save them.


“Mama?” The tremble in Izumi’s voice snatched Hiyori’s gaze from the painted brute for a split second, causing her to glance back at the filly. Her little painted body couldn’t be pressed any harder against her mother, and she trembled so hard that her ears were nearly hitting together. Izumi had never felt a day of fear in her life. The reason she had been so bold to run off in the first place. But now she knew and Hiyori wished she could take it back. Could have somehow stopped any of this from happening.


“If you’re lying to me…” Hiyori hissed, her blue eyes looking back to the stallion. “If you do not get her out the moment she comes of age, I will make you pay for it in blood.” The pale mare promised. Hiyori didn’t doubt that if she was his companion as he claimed, that she would be safe from other stallions. It was whether she would be safe from him. But for now, Hiyori knew she had no choice but to hope that it wasn’t all a lie.


Hiyori didn’t wait to see his smug smile, knowing that for now he had won. Turning, she nudged Izumi in front of her, and began herding the filly towards the Lagoon. Always keeping herself as a barricade; the filly in front, and the stallion behind.